University of Nevada-Reno (UNR) vs University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF)

Nestled in the heart of the Sierra Nevada mountains, the University of Nevada-Reno (UNR) stands in stark contrast to the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), which resides amidst the breathtaking landscapes of the Alaskan wilderness. While both universities offer a wealth of opportunities for higher education, they differ significantly in terms of acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. UNR boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for prospective students. UAF, on the other hand, offers a unique blend of majors, including Arctic and Northern Studies, a field not typically found at other universities. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into the specifics of each institution and discover which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
University of Alaska Fairbanks logo

University of Alaska Fairbanks

University of Nevada-Reno logo

University of Nevada-Reno

Overview

Location Fairbanks, Alaska Reno, Nevada
Campus setting Suburb: Small City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 68.0% 78.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 64.7% 88.2%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $75
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $60
SAT range 1110 - 1360 1060 - 1270
ACT range 17 - 27 20 - 26
Students submitting SAT score 12.0% 12.0%
Students submitting ACT score 16.0% 60.0%
Total number of applicants 1,402 9,421
Total number of admissions given out 907 8,306
Admitted students who chose to enroll 678 3,412
Yield rate 74.8% 41.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $25,548

Out of state: $39,684
In state: $26,796

Out of state: $42,888
Average net price $9,379 $16,398
Tuition
In state: $5,616

Out of state: $19,200
In state: $7,470

Out of state: $23,562
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,150

Meal plan: $5,390
Room/dormitory: $5,850

Meal plan: $5,792
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

90.0%
Average amount $8,808
86.0%
Average amount $7,232
Students receiving federal student loan 21.0%
Average amount $5,312
29.0%
Average amount $5,001
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $13,596
4.0%
Average amount $12,013

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 5,844
Men 38.4% Women 61.6%
17,025
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
Graduate students 982
Men 38.7% Women 61.3%
4,009
Men 39.3% Women 60.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 17.1% 26.1%
International students 2.4% 2.8%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Small City: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,554 3,524
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Alaska Washington California Oregon Florida Nevada California Hawaii Oregon Washington

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Education
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome

Graduation rate 38.4% 62.7%
Dropout rate 39.6% 34.1%
Transferred out 18.1% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Petroleum Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $75,889
  • Year 3: $89,097
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,843
  • Year 2: $63,997
  • Year 3: $79,303
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,735
  • Year 2: $68,219
  • Year 3: $73,558
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $63,997
  • Year 3: $62,935
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,188
  • Year 2: $43,798
  • Year 3: $53,812
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,355
  • Year 2: $30,771
  • Year 3: $44,672
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $33,666
  • Year 2: $44,942
  • Year 3: $43,923
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $32,119
  • Year 3: $34,458
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,635
  • Year 2: $31,314
  • Year 3: $32,564
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,241
  • Year 2: $26,739
  • Year 3: $32,435
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,016
  • Year 2: $104,192
  • Year 3: $106,685
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $79,284
  • Year 3: $89,037
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,780
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $86,482
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $82,783
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,402
  • Year 2: $67,473
  • Year 3: $78,990
Civil Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,203
  • Year 2: $66,169
  • Year 3: $77,729
Psychology, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $57,770
  • Year 3: $75,701
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,757
  • Year 2: $69,161
  • Year 3: $74,927
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,629
  • Year 2: $67,324
  • Year 3: $73,298
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,591
  • Year 2: $57,995
  • Year 3: $71,617

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The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.